Never Again
by Wings of an Angel
Summary: she was forced to mary him, and some how ended up being the silent owner of 'her' company. ironic...a break was seriously needed, but if they werent together she would dissapoint her parents.... yeah her appointed 'husband' was a pain in the ass....
1. The whole in the wall

**AN: the italics is her 'parents will' being read by 'their' lawyer..**

She sighed and continued to stare unblinking at the ceiling above, her 'husband's' steady breath of sleep giving off the only sign that she was alone to dwell in her thoughts. She continued to stare at some imaginary spot on the ceiling as the darkness still cast its shadow; not willing to relinquish its hold of the night. Slight movements at her side made her adjust the position she was in to allow him more room as his arm sprawled over her stomach, even while he slept his arm was circled around her slim frame in the possessive manner she knew to well.

Before she wouldn't have minded, actually she probably would have cuddled up to him and relished in his warmth; but not now….she had loved him, with everything that she was worth, her heart was his the moment he had asked. It didn't matter that they had only been married 6 months, 4 years of knowing him and being with him is what actually got them into this union. It had started off grand- amazing you could say- he treated her with such kindness, always whispering sweet nothings in her ear; taking her away for days on end to some unknown place just to spend 'alone' time with her. He always had a way of making her smile, making her feel special, and of course her parents loved the man, always saying 'he's like the son we never had'. They had everything in common, lived in the same upper-crest community, had the same friends, and to top it off; his parent were my parents business colleges.

To tell you the truth I don't know when it happened…. But he changed…. before I get ahead of myself let me tell you how we ended up married in the first place.

It happened about a year ago, our parent were on a business trip discussing how to merge there companies together when the plane they were on crashed. I think that it devastated me more that it did him- they were truly gone- it surprised me how his attitude towards his parent deaths was indifferent, it was like he didn't comprehend that he would never see them again. I sure as hell did, it had taken a week until the funeral was upon us and I found myself sitting brokenly in 'their' office staring at our lawyer, who was in fact reading my parents will.

_'We love you darling, we_ _had come to an agreement that if anything should happen to us we needed someone to take care of you, so we are officially appointing him to be your guardian so to speak. We know that you love him and that he loves you, so…. I guess what we are trying to say is that it would give us great honor in having you take over our business, we pass everything we own; our life's achievements, over to you…. On one condition, that you and him marry, I know it may seem unrealistic to you know but please try to understand it's only for your well being. He can take care of you and help you with becoming the great women we know you are. We love you.'_

It was a shock at first- anger welled up inside her chest at what they had requested. Sure she loved him, yeah they were happy, but to demand that she marry him; as if she could have no control over her own life. But as she always did- for she could not deny her parents- she obliged to their 'harsh reality check' and they set a date to be married.

Everything would be fine, right? He had always loved her and what harm could be done by making it official?

Wrong………….

He had become possessive after their marriage; almost taken it upon him to believe that she belonged only by his side. She was trapped in a gilded cage as he ran 'her' company. The man she had loved was no longer there, instead replaced by someone whom she could not stand to have touch her.

Of course he did not know any of these hidden dark thoughts that possessed her; she as clever as she was knew not to disturb 'murky water' so to speak. It wouldn't help her now, nothing would…..

So she continued to stare…in the dark… at some imaginary spot on the ceiling. Hoping that maybe it would open up, engulf her, and take her away from this hell that she lived everyday.

**AN: haha.. im so evil... if you havent noticed i did not mention who she ended up marrying.. you will just have to review and hopefully read and find out in my next chapter..**

**Review review review review... gawd people its not like im asking that much:)**

**Ja.**


	2. Lunch Dates and papparazzi

**AN: okkay so this is just a short little teasrer chapter so you guys can get the gist of what happened and who Serina's 'husband' is..lol..**

She shuffled through papers scattered on her mahogany desk, everything was a mess. Well, from what he let her see, their finances were in trouble; not to say that they were in any means not wealthy beyond reason. A sigh erupted from her upturned lips once again for the umpteenth time that day; one would think that with as much as she paid her 'husbands' accountants that they could figure out the simple meaning behind keeping track of what was being spent on development. They really were a bunch of idiots…

"Mrs. Chiba, Mina Aino is here for your lunch proposal" a portly woman poked her head through the large double doors. "I sent her to the wash room to freshen up, she seemed a little frazzled after her photo shoot."

"Thank you Deloris; tell Miss. Aino that I will be in the veranda shortly." She waived her hand in dismissal and looked down at her desk once again with disappointment, having looked at the same damn papers all morning was starting to get her irritated.

At least Mina was here, hopefully to cheer her up. For as long as she could remember her cousin could always put a smile on her face, and she often found herself missing there old boy hunting/secret shopping days. Her papers could wait; she needed a little TLC- which meant an apple martini and a good conversation about irrelevant things in the high society of her life- if she knew anything, probably about some new up and coming actor that her dear cousin wanted to fool around with.

…………………………………………………………………..

"Aww Mina…. I didn't know that it was such a bore to have lunch with your cousin." Her voice jingled with laughter at her friend's current position. Asleep on her veranda, looking pretty uncomfortable it seemed, well if you counted being slouched over on a bar stool and halfway falling of comfy, then what did she know. Definitely the poise and characteristics of LA's top model huh? If only she had a camera….

"Ohh shut it Sere, today was harsh, like way harsh; I don't think that I've ever had to do so many photo shoots in one week as I did today." She grumbled through a yawn, blue eyes sparkling as she bantered with her lunch date. "Seriously I think that I need to go on vacation, maybe like lock myself in a room with some xanax and sleep for 2 weeks."

"You wish" she stated with a mirthful tone. "Besides what would the world do without its most skilled model running around town making a muck of all these young men's lives?"

Laughter erupted out of Mina's mouth as she pictured the paparazzi trying to find her. "Oh Noo, where has Miss. Aino Gone, surely she's gone to elope with –insert name- and have tons of little babies. But still… how does she keep that devilish figure of hers with that eating habit." She mocked with a reporters like voice, holding an invisible microphone to her lips. "But wait! More shocking news, it seems that big business mogul Serina Chiba has decided to follow her cousin's antics and disappear herself, probably to some far off tropical island getting fanned by hot tanned men in Speedos." She paused for dramatic effect. "Oh what would her husband think, yes the scandal…"

Both blondes looked at each other and bust out laughing. Yes… what would Los Angels be like without Mina Aino and Serina Chiba?

Certainly not as fun...

"I loved your little performance darling." Serina drawls in a snobbish voice, slowly bringing an invisible cigarette to her lips. "How long do you think it will take them to realize that we are in disguise sipping margaritas in Malibu?"

Mina gave her a devious smile while positioning her self in an infamous modeling pose, and letting out a whining nasally voice. "Maybe two weeks, you know they can't seem to get enough of us dear cousin. After all, we are the top paid celebrities in LA, who could resist us?"

Laughter spilled out as Serina watched her performance, sometimes they were more like sisters than cousins; constantly fooling around and making jokes.

"Care for a martini?" she dropped the snobbish voice, ready for a decent conversation of getting a well deserved drink.

Mina gave her a look of disbelief. "Are you kidding, when do I ever turn down alcohol?"

"Never, I swear if you could survive of alcohol and xanax instead of breathing air; it would make you the happiest woman alive."

"Damn straight, who needs air anyways? I would be perfectly happy if a constant flow of belvedere could be pumped into my veins, then I wouldn't have to go through the hassle of drinking it!"

"Your crazy woman, seriously…. One of these days some unlucky man is going to catch your eye for more than a second and be stuck with your ass, alcoholism and all." Serina replied with playfull sarcasm.

"Hey I resent that Sere; it is not my fault that it's the only thing that keeps me up when I have like way to many photo shoots."

Giving her a look that clearly states – I don't believe you- she continued to laugh at her cousins pouting face.

"Okay sure Mina; so what's been new with you and the girls?"

"Can we have our drinks first? I'm really parched and need a god damn drink." She persisted and added a cough for extra effect. Today had been way too long, and frankly it was taking its toll on the exuberant blond model.

Serina looked at the 'parched' woman and waved a hand for Deloris to bring them drinks. "One Apple Martini and a Belvedere straight"

Turning her head too Mina she swatted away the loose tendrils obscuring her vision, a migraine was starting to pop its ugly head up; god... she needed a drink…

"You okay Sere? You look a little stressed." Mina asked with a worried voice, she could always tell when her cousin was upset. It was like a sixth sense for both of them, and right now she seriously looked ready to explode. It worried her, ever sense a year ago it was like her bright light had gone away; she had always been the bubbly happy go lucky girl that made everyone jealous with her love of life.

"I don't know what to do Mina, it's like no matter how hard I try he just finds a way to destroy it." She sighed and repositioned in the chair, the slow circular motions on her temples she was using to relieve her headache were not working.

"What happened? You still haven't told us Sere, it's like what happened a year ago didn't exist… Why did you marry him?" she asked with slight conviction in her voice.

Serina sighed once again and tried to avoid the imploring looks, it always ended up at this… She wasn't quite ready to admit that she had given up her life as a last request from her parents, and at first she really did love him; could have almost been excited to marry him. "I'm just not happy anymore, it's hard for me to love someone who pushes me away and acts like I belong to him. Like I can't live my own life, like everything he has isn't because of me."

"Don't avoid my question, if you're so unhappy why don't you just divorce him?" she replied, knowing full well that if she pushed it maybe she could finally understand why….sure they were the perfect couple back in the day, but things change, and for the life of her and there friends she could never figure out why they had just up and married.

There drinks had arrived by then and Serina took a healthy gulp of her martini, letting the cool fire burn down her throat. Yes why didn't she divorce him?- because she would feel to bad for letting her parents down-and the fact of it was, she didn't want to admit that it was over, didn't want to admit that she had given up.

Mina looked at her cousins lost gaze and sighed, now was not the time to drudge up the past; when Serina was ready, she would listen….

"I'm sorry Sere; it's not my place to force information out of you."

"Don't apologize; you are right to have questions." Pushing past her dejected feelings she summoned a smile. "Now why don't we get talk about the girls?"

"Ohh Sere, there doing great. Lita has officially opened her own restaurant on the sunset strip! Can you believe it; it's called Moons Garden and has done absolutely amazing." She gave a sigh as she remembered the delicious food. "Raye is still her self- all high and might as always-but she recently created her own fashion line which has done spectacular, she actually just signed with Vera Wang on a new line of wedding gowns. I think she calls her line Passions Fire or something like that. And yes Amy has finally published her book, its going to hit the stores next week."

"Wow, so much has changed… I'm glad the girls are happy and doing well. I wish that we had all stayed in touch more." She replied in a soft voice.

"Speaking of, one of the reasons I came down here was to invite you to a little party I'm hosting for Amy, in celebration of her release." Mina excitedly pronounced; there was nothing better than throwing a party… well maybe the drinks at the party….. But it would be a prefect time to have a girl's night out, like the old days.

"Really! Of course I'm coming; what kind of best friend would I be if I didn't."

Mina clapped her hands in excitement. "Yay! We can have a girl's night out, I'm sure the girls would love to see us all together again."

Serina snorted at her friend's behavior…. It never failed to amaze her how Mina could be so childlike at times- but it would be great to have the 'princesses' back together again- like old times.

Taking a glance at her watch Mina almost screamed. "Holy crap, I'm going to be so late. I have a dinner date with Andrew." She quickly jumped up-almost knocking over her drink- and leapt over to give Serina a quick kiss on the cheek. "Be at the Roxy club tonight at 10 sharp… k Sere? I'm not going to tell the girls, so you can surprise them you come."

"Sure, will do cousin; have fun….and…" but she was already talking to air as Mina was no where to be found. Lifting up her glass she finished its contents in another gulp, tonight would be fun, maybe she could get her mind off of Darien…..

**AN: Mina an alcohalic..haha.. if the shoe fits.. anywho next chapter will be where she meets our ' other main character'. hope you enjoyed and once again... review review review... pretty please..XD**


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